Featured analysis

Does ISDS Tip the Scales in Favor of Investors?

Econographics Aug 22, 2025

Trump’s challenges to the Fed’s independence loom over Jackson Hole Symposium

By Alisha Chhangani

As Trump tests the limits of what he can do, the credibility of the Fed—and by extension, global financial stability—is increasingly at risk.
Economy & Business International Markets
Does ISDS Tip the Scales in Favor of Investors?

Econographics Jul 17, 2025

Charting a strategic path for Syria’s postwar reconstruction

By Kimberly Donovan, Jonathan Panikoff, Lize de Kruijf, Manal Fatima

As Syria emerges from over a decade of conflict, easing sanctions by the United States, the European Union (EU), and other European partners is an important step toward reintegrating Syria into the global economy. Yet, for a country that has been economically isolated for over fourteen years, lifting sanctions is only the beginning.
Economy & Business Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion
Does ISDS Tip the Scales in Favor of Investors?

Fintech Frontlines Jul 8, 2025

Stablecoins are trending, but what frictions and risks are getting overlooked?

By Ashley Lannquist

Stablecoin usage is complex for consumers, and large-scale adoption could introduce new challenges for financial stability and regulatory oversight.
Digital Currencies Economy & Business

COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

Econographics deep dives

Special sections that go inside the Chinese economy, the evolution of sanctions, and the future of money.

 

Sinographs

In-depth analysis of economic and financial trends in the Chinese economy.

Fintech frontlines

Research and analysis on the intersection of technology and policy developments in finance.

Global sanctions dashboard

Monthly analysis of global sanctions regimes—highlighting new listings, delistings, and the motivations behind these changes.

Latest analysis

EconoGraphics

Mar 24, 2016

The French Way of Reforms

By Alvaro Morales Salto Weis & TK Spandhla

France’s economy has struggled to grow in recent years, expanding by a mere 1.1% in 2015. Meanwhile its unemployment rate has stubbornly lingered around 10%, with a slight upwards trend.

Economy & Business
Fiscal and Structural Reform

EconoGraphics

Mar 14, 2016

A Tale of Two QE’s

By Alvaro Morales Salto Weis & TK Spandhla

On March 10, the European Central Bank (ECB) announced an expansion of its Quantitative Easing Program (QE), increasing the amount of government bonds it buys monthly from €60 billion to €80 billion. It also extended the range of assets it purchases to include investment grade non-bank corporate bonds. On top of that, the ECB lowered already negative deposit interest rates further down, to -0.4%, and its main interest rate to 0%. So, why have Central Banks embraced QE?

Economy & Business
European Union

EconoGraphics

Mar 4, 2016

TTIP: Window of Opportunity is Closing

By Alvaro Morales Salto Weis & TK Spandhla

The 12th round of negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) concluded last week in Brussels on an optimistic tone. The Chief Negotiator for the EU announced significant advances in most negotiating areas, including on the Investor-State-Dispute Settlement (ISD), which had been frozen for months. His US counterpart expressed confidence in reaching an ambitious deal in the second half of the year, rejecting calls for a “TTIP lite”.

Economy & Business
European Union

EconoGraphics

Feb 25, 2016

TTIP: Cutting the Red Tape

By Global Business and Economics

The 12th round of negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) unfolded this week in Brussels between the EU and their American counterparts. At a time when both parties are stuck with weak growth (and persistent high unemployment in Europe), the importance of TTIP cannot be understated.

Economy & Business
European Union

EconoGraphics

Feb 23, 2016

Tug of Budget War in Brussles

By Global Business and Economics

In the past weeks, the Portuguese government and EU authorities have engaged in a tug of war over the Portuguese budget proposal for 2016. The European Commission (EC) warned the newly elected anti-austerity government that it risked “serious non-compliance” with the EU’s fiscal rules. Finally, Lisbon narrowly avoided becoming the first Eurozone country to have its budget rejected by Brussels, as it agreed to additional tax hikes and spending cuts.

Economy & Business
European Union

EconoGraphics

Feb 16, 2016

Dreaming Big: Size Matters

By Global Business and Economics

Why are Google, Apple or Facebook American-born but not European? Concerns about Europe’s lack of innovative start-ups prompted the European Commission (EC) to launch the Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan, aimed at bolstering entrepreneurship culture.

Economy & Business
Europe & Eurasia

EconoGraphics

Feb 8, 2016

Juncker Has a Plan

By Global Business and Economics

Europe’s fragile recovery has been ailing from low levels of investment. While GDP and consumption have surpassed their pre-crisis levels, by the end of 2014 gross capital formation was still around 15% below its 2007 peak (€230 billion to €370 billion less than the EU’s long term investment average). That is why the EU launched an ambitious investment plan, the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI).

Economy & Business
European Union

EconoGraphics

Feb 1, 2016

Young Arrivals for an Ageing Europe

By Global Business and Economics

Refugees are pouring into the European Union (EU) at a scale not seen since the Second World War. In 2015 alone, 893.695 applied for asylum, up from around 250.000 in 2010, according to Eurostat. The magnitude of these influxes has rocked the EU boat, prompting yet another consequential crisis on top of last year’s Greek bailout and the incoming referendum on the UK’s permanence.

Economy & Business
European Union

EconoGraphics

Jan 21, 2016

Feeling the Oil Crunch

By Global Business and Economics

Oil prices have fallen to their lowest since 2003, sitting under $30 a barrel in recent days. Declining expectations of global growth plus the addition of post-sanction Iranian supply don’t spell a substantial price recovery in the immediate future. Under this new market realities, oil-exporting countries come in different form to weather the storm.

Economy & Business
Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

EconoGraphics

Jan 15, 2016

Road to Pension Sustainability

By Global Business and Economics

As Greece entered in 2016, the first review of the bailout agreed in August 2015 is not completed yet. Creditors and the Greek Government are meeting next week to discuss a plan for major reforms of the pension system. The goal is to assure the long-term sustainability of the Greek public finances, with proposed cost-saving measures targeting 1 percent of its GDP.

Economy & Business
European Union
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Content

EconoGraphics

Jun 16, 2015

Does ISDS Tip the Scales in Favor of Investors?

By Global Business and Economics

Looking at over 400 cases that have been decided through 2014, the rate of success for US and EU investors is 30% and 34%, respectively. Foreign states win against US claimants 42% of the time, and 36% of the time against EU-based firms, with the remainder being settled.

Economy & Business
European Union

EconoGraphics

Jun 9, 2015

Where Do Trillion-Dollar Asset Managers Hail From?

By Global Business and Economics

Of the 16 investment firms in the world that hold more than $1 trillion in assets, the US leads with 12 representatives, including well-known firms like BlackRock, Vanguard Group, and the asset management arms of Goldman Sachs and Bank of New York Mellon.

Economy & Business
France

EconoGraphics

Jun 2, 2015

How big is the opportunity to increase US exports in the Transpacific Partnership?

By Global Business & Economics

Data from 2014 shows that while American exports to the 11 other TPP nations totaled more than half a trillion dollars in absolute terms, there remains considerable room for improvement in relative terms

Americas
Australia

EconoGraphics

May 26, 2015

Who Will Finance Ukraine?

By Global Business & Economics Program

Ukraine's economic stability is uncertain as the conflict with Russia endures. Alongside the negative impacts to growth, exports, and investment, the level of Ukraine's debts are especially worrisome.

Economy & Business
Europe & Eurasia

EconoGraphics

May 20, 2015

Who’s Buying European Companies?

By Global Business & Economics

Who is purchasing European companies? Looking at the five biggest foreign acquisitions of European corporates since 2011 shows that the US are the biggest buyers by a considerable margin, with the China, Hong Kong, Brazil, and Japan following behind.

Brazil
China

EconoGraphics

May 12, 2015

Two Decades of Sovereign Debt

By Global Business & Economics

Sovereign default is considered to be a rare event. But as the lessons of the past two decades show, they are far from extraordinary. According to the IMF, the main sovereign debt restructurings from the period spanning 1998 – 2010 totaled $117.6 billion. When Greece’s 2012 default is added to that sum, it means that […]

Economy & Business
Fiscal and Structural Reform

EconoGraphics

May 5, 2015

Creating the Digital Single Market

By Global Business & Economics Program

European E-Commerce is still largely confined within national borders.

Economy & Business
Europe & Eurasia

EconoGraphics

Apr 28, 2015

Do Sanctions Work After All?

By Global Business & Economics

International Relations scholars disagree about whether economic sanctions are an effective tool to coerce countries to follow a certain course of action.

Economy & Business
Europe & Eurasia

EconoGraphics

Apr 21, 2015

Exit, or Voice?

By Global Business & Economics

In March, the UK, Germany, Italy, and France decided to join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), shocking the Obama administration.

Brazil
China

EconoGraphics

Apr 14, 2015

Who is Investing Abroad?

By Global Business & Economics

While the US still leads the world in outflowing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), the emerging markets are catching up quickly. Chinese outflowing FDI, in particular has grown tremendously: since 2005, it increased more than 30-fold in 8 years from $5 billion to $166 billion. While initial Chinese foreign investments focused on natural resource industries, over time the investments have spread to diverse industries like agriculture, manufacturing, and professional services. BRIC FDIs are emerging as key growth drivers for low income countries, improving their business environment, building infrastructure, creating jobs, and adding much-needed revenue to government coffers.

China
Russia
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